
MICHELIN
127
For Self-Supporting Zero Pressure (ZP) Tires, Check 
Inflation Pressures as Soon as Possible Following a 
Low Pressure Warning
Be certain to ensure that your vehicle’s Tire Pressure  Monitoring 
System (TPMS) is functioning and is correctly calibrated. Refer to your 
vehicle owner’s manual or your vehicle dealer. Low pressure warning 
systems are designed to alert the driver to a low inflation situation 
in at least one tire on the vehicle. While your ZP tires are designed 
to provide continued mobility in the event of an air loss, the sooner 
you respond to a warning and take corrective action, the greater the 
likelihood that the tire can be returned to service. Always visually 
inspect your Self-Supporting tires and use a pressure gauge to check 
the inflation in all 4 tires following any low pressure warning (unless 
advised to do otherwise by the manufacturer of your low pressure 
warning system). If the tire pressure is at or below 18 PSI, proceed to\
 
the Michelin tire retailer for ZP tires (or a representative of your vehicle 
manufacturer if advised to do so in your vehicle owner’s manual) and 
have the tire demounted and thoroughly inspected for possible internal 
damage. If you are unable to see any damage to the tire, and the tire 
pressure is more than 18 PSI, reinflate your tire to the proper inflation. 
When tires have cooled, check inflation again. If any tire has lost more 
than 5 PSI from the previous pressure check, have the tire inspected 
at once by a Michelin tire retailer (or representative of your vehicle 
manufacturer if your vehicle owner’s manual so advises.) Failure to do 
so may cause irreparable damage to the tire and result in sudden tire 
failure and an accident.
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)
Your vehicle is likely equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System 
(TPMS) that is designed to monitor the pressure of tires mounted on 
your vehicle and sends a signal to the driver if a tire pressure falls 
below a predetermined level. A TPMS should not replace monthly 
manual pressure checks for all four tires and the spare. You should 
manually monitor and check tire pressure inflation with a pressure 
gauge. Your tires should have the recommended pressure listed by 
your vehicle’s manufacturer. This information can be found in the  

MICHELIN
128
vehicle owner’s manual and is on a placard located in the vehicle’s 
door jamb, inside the fuel hatch, or on the glove compartment door. If 
you have plus-size tires that require a higher inflation pressure, your 
tire pressure monitoring system will require re-calibration to the new 
proper inflation pressure. Refer to your tire dealer/installer of plus-size 
tires for proper inflation pressure. You should check air pressure in all 
your tires, including the spare, once each month and before every long 
trip. Regardless whether your spare is a full-size spare or a mini-spare, 
make sure that it is properly inflated. If the TPMS generates improper 
monitoring or signals, you should consult your vehicle owner’s manual 
and follow up with your vehicle’s manufacturer.
TIRE SPINNING
Do not spin wheels at more than 35 mph (55 km/hr) as indicated 
on your vehicle’s speedometer. Excessive speed in a free-running, 
unloaded tire can cause it to “explode” from centrifugal force. The 
energy released by such an explosion may cause serious physical 
injury or death. Never allow anyone to stand near or behind a spinning 
tire. When in mud, sand, snow, ice, or another slippery condition, 
do not engage in excessive wheel spin. Accelerating the motor 
excessively, particularly with automatic transmission vehicles, may 
cause a drive tire that has lost traction to spin beyond its speed-
enduring capability. This is also true when balancing a drive tire/wheel 
assembly on the vehicle using the vehicle engine to spin the  
tire/wheel assembly.
High Speed Driving Is Dangerous
Correct inflation pressure is especially important. However, at high 
speeds, even with the correct inflation pressure, a road hazard is more 
difficult to avoid, and if tire contact is made with it, there is a greater 
chance of causing tire damage than at a lower speed. Moreover, 
driving at high speed reduces the reaction time available to avoid 
accidents and bring your vehicle to a safe stop. 

MICHELIN
129
Exceeding the maximum speeds shown on the following page for each 
type of MICHELIN® tire will cause the tire to build up excessive heat, 
which can cause tire damage that could result in sudden tire failure 
and rapid air loss. Failure to control a vehicle when one or more tires \
experience a rapid air loss can lead to an accident.
In any case, you should not exceed reasonable speeds as indicated by 
the legal limits and driving conditions.
 
Speed Rating System
The speed rating of a tire indicates the  
speed category (or range of v speeds)  
at which the tire can carry a load under 
specified service conditions. The speed 
rating system used today was developed 
in Europe in response to the need to 
categorize tires into standardized speeds. 
A letter from A to Z symbolizes a tire’s 
certified speed rating, ranging from 5 km/
hr (3 mph) to above 300 km/ hr (186 
mph). This rating system (see chart on 
this page) describes the top speed for 
which a tire is certified.
When this speed rating system was originally developed, the   
Unlimited V category of over 210 km/hr (130 mph) was the top speed 
rating a tire could achieve. As manufacturers made more tires that fit 
into this category, it was necessary to better regulate performance at 
standardized speeds to help ensure safety. The Limited V category of 
240 km/hr (149 mph) was then created, and the Z or (Y) speed rating 
was added as the top speed rating that a tire could achieve. W and Y 
limited speed symbols have been added as higher speed categories.
Always consult the tire manufacturer for the maximum speed of  

MICHELIN
131
Consult your Michelin tire retailer for maximum speed capabilities. 
Although a tire may be speed-rated, no vehicle should be operated in 
an unsafe or unlawful manner. Speed ratings are based on laboratory 
tests that relate to performance on the road, but are not applicable 
if tires are underinflated, overloaded, worn out, damaged, altered, 
improperly repaired, or retreaded. Furthermore, a tire’s speed rating 
does not imply that vehicles can be safely driven at the maximum 
speed for which the tire is rated, particularly under adverse road 
and weather conditions or if the vehicle has unusual characteristics. 
Michelin highway passenger tires that do not have a speed symbol on 
the sidewall have a maximum speed rating of 105 mph (170 kph). Light 
truck highway tires that do not have a speed symbol on the sidewall of 
the tire have a maximum speed rating of 87 mph (140 kph). Michelin 
winter tires that do not have a speed symbol on the sidewall or tires 
with Q symbols have a speed rating of 100 mph (160 km/hr). Winter 
tires with a speed symbol have a maximum speed rating in accordance 
with the symbol. The speed and other ratings of retreaded tires are 
assigned by the retreader and replace the original manufacturer’s 
ratings. IMPORTANT: The replacement tire speed rating should be 
equal to or higher than the OEM tire speed rating. If a lower speed 
rated tire is selected, then the vehicle top speed becomes limited 
to that of the lower speed rating selected. The customer must be 
informed of the new speed restriction and that the vehicle’s handling 
may be adversely impacted. REMEMBER…High speed driving can 
be dangerous and may damage your tires. AND…When driving at 
highway speeds, correct inflation pressure is especially important.
Inspect Your Tires, And Do Not Drive On A Damaged 
Tire Or Wheel
Road hazards and objects in the road, such as potholes, curbs, glass, 
metal, rocks, wood, and debris, can damage a tire and should be 
safely avoided. If your vehicle hits any such hazard or object, however, 
you should promptly inspect your tires. If you see any damage to any  

MICHELIN
135
Check How Your Tires Are Wearing at Least  
Once Each Month
If your tires are wearing unevenly, such as the inside shoulder of the 
tire wearing faster than the rest of the tread, or if you detect excessi\
ve 
vibration, your vehicle may be out of alignment or balance. These 
conditions not only shorten the life of your tires but adversely affect the 
handling characteristics of your vehicle, which could be dangerous. If 
you detect irregular wear or vibration, have your alignment and balance 
checked immediately. Tires which have been run underinflated will 
show more wear on the shoulders than in the center of the tread. Read 
and follow the instructions on tire rotation and replacement below.
Tire Mixing
MICHELIN® tires are radial tires. For best, safe performance, the same 
size and type of tire should be used on all four wheel positions, and th\
e 
full size spare should be the same size and type. Before mixing tires 
of different types in any configuration on any vehicle, be sure to check 
the vehicle manufacturer’s owner‘s manual for its recommendations. 
It is especially important to check the vehicle manufacturer’s owner’s 
manual when mixing, matching, or replacing tires on 4-wheel drive 
vehicles, as this may require special precautions.
SELF-SUPPORTING ZERO PRESSURE™ (ZP) TIRES SHOULD NOT 
BE MIXED WITH NON-ZP TIRES OTHER THAN THE TEMPORARY 
USE OF THE PROPERLY INFLATED SPARE IF THE VEHICLE IS  
SO EQUIPPED.
Winter Driving
Tires that meet the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) 
definition of snow tires are marked M/S, M+S, or M&S. On such tires, 
normally referred to as “All-Season” tires, the “M+S” designation  

MICHELIN
140
from the tires by raising the vehicle or by removing the tires from the \
vehicle. Failure to store tires in accordance with these instructions 
could result in damage to your tires or premature aging of the tires 
and sudden tire failure. When tires are stored, be sure they are placed \
away from sources of heat and ozone such as hot pipes and electric 
generators. Be sure that surfaces on which tires are stored are clean 
and free from grease, gasoline or other substances which could 
deteriorate  the rubber. Tires exposed to these materials during storage 
or driving could be subject to sudden failure.
One reason why your spare tire should be included in the tire rotation 
schedule is that temperatures in a vehicle’s closed trunk, especially 
in sunny geographical areas, can become high enough so that, over 
a sustained period, they can cause small cracks or other changes to 
the properties of a tire stored in the trunk. An accumulation of such 
changes can weaken the tire and, especially if the tire is not kept 
properly inflated, make it unsafe to use when it is needed.
Proper Tire Mounting
Tire mounting can be dangerous and must be done by professionally 
trained persons using proper tools and procedures as specified by the 
US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA).
Your tires should be mounted on wheels that are the correct size 
and type and are in good, clean condition. Wheels that are bent, 
chipped, rusted (steel wheels) or corroded (alloy wheels) may cause 
tire damage. The inside of the tire must be free from foreign material. 
Have your tire retailer check the wheels before mounting new tires. 
Mismatched tires and rims can explode during mounting. Also, 
mismatched tires and rims can result in dangerous tire failure on 
the road. If a tire is mounted by error on the wrong-sized rim, do not 
remount it on the proper rim – scrap it. It may have been damaged 
internally (which is not externally visible) by having been dangerously 
stretched and could fail on the highway, resulting in an accident.
Old valves may leak. When new tubeless tires are mounted, have 
new valves  of the correct type installed. Tubeless tires must be 
mounted only on wheels designed for tubeless tires, i.e., wheels that  

NITTO TIRE
148
Failure to meet conditions of this Limited Warranty, not limited to:•
 Any tire that is not an Eligible Tire.
•
 Any tire for which mileage and tire rotation records are not 
available or verifiable.
•
 Any tire not presented and available for Nitto’s inspection.
•
 Any tire worn beyond the treadwear indicators (less than 2/32” of 
remaining tread).
•
 Uniformity issues after the first 25% of treadwear.
Nothing in this Limited Warranty is intended to be a representation that 
tire failures cannot occur.
WHAT NITTO WILL DO
For every Eligible Tire, Nitto will do the following:
Regular OE Tires 1.
 If less than 25% Worn: Nitto will replace, free of charge, any 
Eligible Tire when the original usable tread is worn by 25% or 
less, and within 5 years from the date you purchased the vehicle 
new. If you cannot provide a copy of the new vehicle registration 
or vehicle purchase receipt, the manufacture date of the tire, as 
indicated by the tire DOT code, will be used instead to determine 
if a tire is within the warranty period. Tire mounting and balancing 
costs are covered by Nitto. You are responsible for taxes and 
all other costs, fees and expenses.
2.
 If more than 25% Worn: Nitto will replace any Eligible Tire when 
the original usable tread is worn by more than 25%, and within 5 
years from the date you purchased the vehicle new. If you cannot 
provide a copy of the new vehicle registration or vehicle purchase 
receipt, the manufacture date of the tire, as indicated by the tire 
DOT code, will be used instead to determine if a tire is within the 
warranty period.  You are responsible for the pro-rated cost of 
a replacement tire, mounting and balancing costs, taxes and 
all other costs, fees and expenses. 

NITTO TIRE
174
The letter symbols and corresponding design speeds are:
* Any tire with a speed capability above 149 mph (240 km/h) can, at the tire manufacturer’s option, include a “Z” in the size designation (e.g., 245/40ZR18). If 
the load index and the speed symbol are not included, the tire manufactu\
rer must 
be consulted for the maximum speed capability (P245/40ZR18 speed capability 
is greater than 149 mph [240 km/h]). If a service description is included with the 
size description, the speed capability is limited by the speed symbol in\
 the service 
description (i.e., 235/45ZR17 97W = maximum speed 168 mph [270 km/h]).
** Although no upper limit speed is specified, the indicated tires nonetheless have  limited rated speed capability. Call (888) 529-8200 Pacific Time for a referral for more 
technical information.